Can Tho turns on TV festival

In the limelight: Actress Thanh Huyen (left) will compete for Best Actress honours at the 30th National Television Festival. — File Photo

CAN THO — The 30th National Television Festival kicked-off yesterday in the southern province of Can Tho, showcasing the best television works produced by State-owned television stations and private studios.

The seven-day festival this week will offer more than 700 entries in 10 genres including trailers, that will be making their first appearance at the festival.

"It's good news that trailers will be shown at the festival for the first time. Trailers will make a big contribution to advertising television shows," said Ha Nam, deputy head of the organisation board.

Judges, chaired by Deputy Head of the Cinematography Department Le Ngoc Minh, have already started reviewing the multiple episode category (10-30 episodes), that includes Viet Nam Television Film Centre's Silver Swamp, Viet Nam Multimedia Corporation's Perhaps Because of Love, and Tran Gia Studio's At the End of the Rainbow.

For the first time, individual prizes for television series will be presented, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Cameraman.

The organisation board will also present 35 Gold Awards, 48 Silver Awards and 120 certificates of merit.

Four workshops and two exhibitions will be included as part of the festival. The workshops will discuss how to improve television programmes on ethnic people, children and digital technology television.

Representatives from foreign television broadcasters such as Australia's ABC; China's CCTV; South Korea's KBS; Japan's NHK and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) will attend the seminars.

"This festival will focus on workshops which will be of great help to local television stations. We aim to improve the quality of television programmes in the future," said Vu Van Hien, general director of Viet Nam Television.

The opening ceremony will broadcast live on VTV's channel 1 tonight. — VNS

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Cai luong artists plan on revival

Fading colours: Artists fromthe Dong Nai Cai Luong (Reformed Opera) Troupe perform. Artists throughout the country are planning a long-term development strategy for the art form. — VNA/VNS Photo Nhat Anh

HCM CITY — Artists from around the country participated in formulating a long-term strategy for the development of cai luong (reformed opera) at a recent conference in HCM City.

Cai luong is a form of modern folk opera that blends southern Vietnamese folk songs, classical music, hat tuong (a classical form based on Chinese opera), and modern spoken drama. It originated in the southern region in the early 20th century and blossomed in the 1930s as the theatre of the middle class during the French colonial period. It maintained its popularity into the 1980s but is now in decline.

The recent conference, timed to coincide with the centenary of cai luong, aimed to devise approaches from the grassroots to the central levels to reinvigorate the faded artform in modern times, focusing on infrastructure for performance, e.g., new theatres equipped with modern lighting and sound systems, encouraging new script writers, professional training for young artists, and encouraging young cai luong critics who could link the art with contemporary life in their writings as well as introducing the art into schools.

The strategy would also inculcate a sense of duty in cultural workers and cai luong enthusiasts to help the artform reach young audiences, especially intellectuals and students.

Artist Tran Minh Ngoc complained that the art had been negatively affected by the popular entertainment market.

"The slow rhythms of the art are no longer suited to present tastes," Ngoc said. "Performing skills have also regressed in the face of the current media explosion."

The roles of cai luong musicians were also dulled on stage due to outdated equipment, she said.

Other participants in the conference noted that the artform was now failing attract young playwrights, directors, musicians or scenic designers.

"Creativity requires new elements, which can hardly be found in this artform," Ngoc said.

Cai luong, which broadly falls into two styles – cai luong tuong co (classic drama) and cai luong xa hoi (social) – generally praises Vietnamese moral values in a sort of play set to vong co (a nostalgic libretto) and background music most often featuring dan tranh (zither) or guitar. In a typical cai luong play, the performers use a combination of spoken dialogue and vong co. — VNS

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Sun Wukong comes to Vietnam

Chinese actor, Liu Xiao Ling Tong

Chinese actor, Liu Xiao Ling Tong, known for his portrayal of Sun Wukong in the 1986 Chinese TV series, “Journey to the West” will be in Vietnam this week, according to the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,

Tong’s visit will be part of cultural exchange events to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam. China Radio International and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism cooperate to bring Chinese actors and art groups to Vietnam.

Tong, who plays many roles on China Central Television, comes from an acting family.

Journey to the West was screened in the U.S., Japan, Germany, France and ASEAN countries, including Vietnam. Liu Xiao Ling Tong is loved by Vietnamese.

Schedule of Liu Xiao Ling Tong in Vietnam

December 24: Land at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi

December 25: Meet with students from University of Social Sciences and Humanity in Hanoi; Interview for a television program; Meet with artist Hong Ky and the voice-over artist for the TV series.

December 26: Visit Halong Bay and vote for it to become a natural wonder of the world; meet the press and photographers

December 27: Autobiography signing at Fahasa in Hanoi, 338 Xa Dan Street, Kim Lien District; interview with television; tour around Hanoi including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and House; meeting with Hoang Tuan Anh, minster of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

December 28: Fly to HCMC; hold a press briefing; book signing at Fahasa Tan Dinh, Hai Ba Trung Street, District 3

December 29: Talk with students from University of Social Sciences and Humanity in HCMC; talk online with fans via a local newspaper; visit Galaxy Nguyen Du cinema and meet fans in District 1

December 30: Return home

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Sun Wukong comes to Vietnam

Chinese actor, Liu Xiao Ling Tong

Chinese actor, Liu Xiao Ling Tong, known for his portrayal of Sun Wukong in the 1986 Chinese TV series, “Journey to the West” will be in Vietnam this week, according to the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,

Tong’s visit will be part of cultural exchange events to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam. China Radio International and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism cooperate to bring Chinese actors and art groups to Vietnam.

Tong, who plays many roles on China Central Television, comes from an acting family.

Journey to the West was screened in the U.S., Japan, Germany, France and ASEAN countries, including Vietnam. Liu Xiao Ling Tong is loved by Vietnamese.

Schedule of Liu Xiao Ling Tong in Vietnam

December 24: Land at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi

December 25: Meet with students from University of Social Sciences and Humanity in Hanoi; Interview for a television program; Meet with artist Hong Ky and the voice-over artist for the TV series.

December 26: Visit Halong Bay and vote for it to become a natural wonder of the world; meet the press and photographers

December 27: Autobiography signing at Fahasa in Hanoi, 338 Xa Dan Street, Kim Lien District; interview with television; tour around Hanoi including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and House; meeting with Hoang Tuan Anh, minster of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

December 28: Fly to HCMC; hold a press briefing; book signing at Fahasa Tan Dinh, Hai Ba Trung Street, District 3

December 29: Talk with students from University of Social Sciences and Humanity in HCMC; talk online with fans via a local newspaper; visit Galaxy Nguyen Du cinema and meet fans in District 1

December 30: Return home

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Sun Wukong comes to Vietnam

Chinese actor, Liu Xiao Ling Tong

Chinese actor, Liu Xiao Ling Tong, known for his portrayal of Sun Wukong in the 1986 Chinese TV series, “Journey to the West” will be in Vietnam this week, according to the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,

Tong’s visit will be part of cultural exchange events to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations between China and Vietnam. China Radio International and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism cooperate to bring Chinese actors and art groups to Vietnam.

Tong, who plays many roles on China Central Television, comes from an acting family.

Journey to the West was screened in the U.S., Japan, Germany, France and ASEAN countries, including Vietnam. Liu Xiao Ling Tong is loved by Vietnamese.

Schedule of Liu Xiao Ling Tong in Vietnam

December 24: Land at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi

December 25: Meet with students from University of Social Sciences and Humanity in Hanoi; Interview for a television program; Meet with artist Hong Ky and the voice-over artist for the TV series.

December 26: Visit Halong Bay and vote for it to become a natural wonder of the world; meet the press and photographers

December 27: Autobiography signing at Fahasa in Hanoi, 338 Xa Dan Street, Kim Lien District; interview with television; tour around Hanoi including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and House; meeting with Hoang Tuan Anh, minster of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

December 28: Fly to HCMC; hold a press briefing; book signing at Fahasa Tan Dinh, Hai Ba Trung Street, District 3

December 29: Talk with students from University of Social Sciences and Humanity in HCMC; talk online with fans via a local newspaper; visit Galaxy Nguyen Du cinema and meet fans in District 1

December 30: Return home

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LoretoFest raises US$30,000

The outdoor rock concert, LoretoFest 2010 raised more than US$30,000 for Loreto Vietnam-Australia Program (LVAP), the organizers said.

The money raised at the concert in HCMC’s District 7 on Dec. 11 will benefit poor and physically and mentally challenged children through education and vocational training. The money was raised through sponsorship and ticket sales, organizers said.

The fourth LoretoFest was again supported by Vietnam’s top rock singer Pham Anh Khoa as the Loreto Ambassador. Khoa has participated in the charity concert since the first event in 2007.

As well as music, activities included mini golf, face painting, X-Rock climbing, circus performances, an Australian Rules football coaching clinic for kids run by the Vietnam Swans, netball, horseriding and more.

LoretoFest organizers have raised more than US$150,000 in total since they started the family charity concert. The money has been used to build and equip Sunrise Special School Campus 2 in HCMC’s Tan Phu District to provide vocational training for visually and hearing impaired, intellectually challenged and/or underprivileged children.

Many students have already passed through Sunrise Special School Campus 1 to the next campus for classes on cooking, hospitality, music, computer education, tailoring, woodwork, art, handicrafts and horticulture.

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Television festival kick-offs in Can Tho

CAN THO - The 30th National Television Festival kicks-off today in the southern province of Can Tho, showcasing the best television works produced by State-owned television stations and private studios.

The seven-day festival will offer more than 700 entries in 10 genres including trailers, that will be making their first appearance at the festival.

"It's good news that trailers will be shown at the festival for the first time. Trailers will make a big contribution to advertising television shows," said Ha Nam, deputy-head of the organisation board.

Judges, chaired by Deputy Head of the Cinematography Department Le Ngoc Minh, have already started reviewing the multiple episode category (10-30 episodes), that includes Viet Nam Television FiIm Centre's Silver Swamp, Viet Nam Multimedia Corporation's Perhaps Because of Love, and Tran Gia Studio's At the End of the Rainbow.

For the first time, individual prizes for television series will be presented, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Cameraman.

The organisation board will also present 35 Gold Awards, 48 Silver Awards and 120 certificates of merit.

Four workshops and two exhibitions will be included as part of the festival. The workshops will discuss how to improve television programmes on ethnic people, children and digital technology television.

Representatives from foreign television broadcasters such as Australia's ABC; China's CCTV; South Korea's KBS; Japan's NHK and the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) will attend the seminars.

"This festival will focus on workshops which will be of great help to local television stations. We aim to improve the quality of television programmes in the future," said Vu Van Hien, general director of Viet Nam Television.

The opening ceremony will be broadcast live on VTV1 at 8pm tomorrow night. - VNS

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